Apple Chicken Salad
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Meal prep like a boss with this super simple Paleo and Whole30 Apple Chicken Salad, made with ingredients you probably already have in your house! With a little sweetness from the apples and a little crunch from the walnuts, this rotisserie chicken salad will be your new favorite meal prep!
Apple Chicken Salad Recipe
Chicken salad is basically the best lunch ever. Why? Because it lets you repurpose leftover grilled chicken, jazz up rotisserie chicken and totally customize it with whatever ingredients you like and are seasonal.
I will always vote chicken salad for quick and easy meal prep and fast lunches!
And when you add a little sweetness from apples and some crunchy walnuts, this salad is a fun chicken salad. Definitely one of my favorites!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Chicken salad deserves an upgrade, and this chicken salad is here to answer that call!
- Apples give chicken salad a delicious sweet-tart flavor and a lovely texture!
- This recipe is easy to make with no special ingredients.
- You can make it with leftovers or rotisserie chicken, and whatever apples you like. Win-win!
Ingredients
I think the ingredients in this Paleo and Whole30 rotisserie chicken salad are fairly simple.
- Chicken: Use leftover roasted chicken, grilled chicken breasts, or rotisserie chicken.
- Celery: Celery can be omitted if you don’t like the crunch.
- Apples: You can use whatever kind you like. Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji and Pink Lady are all delicious!
- Walnuts: Swap for pecans or leave them out if you don’t like walnuts.
- Mayonnaise: If you’re looking to figure out which brands of mayo are Whole30 compliant, I rounded up all the Whole30 and Paleo compliant mayo brands to make it easy!
- Red onion: White onion is a fine replacement if that’s what you have.
How to Make Apple Chicken Salad
Once you’ve got everything, making chicken salad couldn’t be easier. Just chop, chop chop, mix, and eat.
Seriously, it’s that easy! Get out a big mixing bowl and add the chopped, chicken, celery, onion, apples, walnuts, mayonnaise and salt and pepper.
Then stir together. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you feel like it needs it! Then you can refrigerate or eat it right away.
I like my chicken salad with bigger chunks of apple, but if you prefer them small, very finely dice or grate the apple. Spritz them with lemon juice to keep the apples from browning.
How to Store It
Store this apple chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume it within 3 days for the best taste. Toss the apples in a little lemon juice before mixing to prevent browning, and consider adding the walnuts just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Avoid freezing chicken salad, as it can affect the texture of the mayonnaise and fresh ingredients.
Tips & Tricks
Here are some tips and tricks for making the best rotisserie chicken salad:
- Granny Smith apples provide a tart contrast to the creamy mayonnaise, but you can mix in sweeter apple varieties like Fuji or Honeycrisp for a little more balance.
- Mix a little lemon juice or Dijon mustard into the mayonnaise for a tangy twist. This also helps prevent the apples from browning.
- Prepare the salad a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Cover and refrigerate, but add the walnuts just before serving to keep them crunchy.
What to Serve with Apple Chicken Salad
This apple version is delicious between two pieces of fluffy bread or on a croissant to make the best chicken salad sandwich ever. You can also serve it on top of lettuce or kale — or even inside collard wraps.
For lunch, I like to serve chicken salad with fresh pomegranate, juicy berries and crackers. Potato chips and raw veggies make great sides too.
FAQ
Absolutely. You can prepare the salad a few hours ahead and refrigerate it. To maintain freshness, add the walnuts right before serving to keep them crunchy.
Chicken salad keeps fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. However, the apples may brown, so be sure to spritz them with lemon juice just before serving.
More Healthy Meal Prep Recipes
- Carrot & Curry Chicken Salad
- Butter Chicken Meal Prep
- Mexican Tuna Salad
- Egg Salad with Bacon
- Greek Chickpea and Cucumber Salad
- Maple Pecan Granola
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Apple Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked chicken breasts about 2½ cups diced. Or substitute leftover rotisserie or grilled chicken
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup diced apple (I like Granny Smith but use any other kind you like)
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
- 2 tablespoons red onion finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoons pepper
Instructions
- Dice the celery and apples and chop the walnuts. Cut the chicken into small, bite sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together until well combined, starting with less mayo and adding more to your preferred consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve over mixed greens and with fresh fruit and vegetables.
